X-Men
by ForeverX1
Summary: A new take on tha X-Men...(yeah i know there have been a million "new takes" but oh well...they have to forge on in the midst of losing the professor to an evil assassin's bullet.
1. Default Chapter Title

X-Men #1  
"Bullet Beginnings"  
  
Perched atop the highest edge of the mansion rooftop was Warren Worthington III. His richly blond hair matted to his head from the falling drops. He did not attempt to shield his face from the downpour. He had chosen to embrace it-it fit his mood. His blue eyes stared at the Heaven's above him with varying looks of anger, sorrow, disbelief…just about every human emotion there is, that look was on his face. The drops of rain mixed with salty tears and rolled-poured rather, down his face.  
  
Warren had been in this same state for several hours since returning from a pro-mutant gathering downtown. He was always present at them, his mutant identity known to anyone who knew him. The assembly was going great, barring a few anti-mutant demonstrations-but those were expected. It was just when he got up to speak….Warren could do nothing when he got home but be hit with his emotion. It was to the point where he could think of nothing to do but go to the rooftop. It was closest to the Heaven's where he felt most at home. And where he sought answers to the events that had transpired only recently.  
  
Flashing lights caught Warren's eye. He actually let his head move from its staring position up in the sky and toward the front gate. The tall iron bars parted slowly and a paramedic's vehicle drove in seemingly slower then the gates opening. The vehicle traveled up the paved driveway and stopped in front of the mansion's large double doors. The back opened and a stretcher was eased out. The man and woman in the cab of the vehicle assisted then man in the back in wheeling the stretcher into the house.  
  
A few moments later the front gates parted again. Before they were even stopped a rather new looking Jeep sped between them, scraping the sides heavily. This apparently did not bother the driver as he kept on moving up the property. The Jeep screeched to a halt along side the ambulance. A male and female got out of it and bolted inside.  
  
On the roof, Warren watched the other two go inside. He surmised that since everyone was home is was time he faced them and the truth behind what had happened. Warren slowly rose to his feet, confident in the hold his of his shoes on the rooftop. He arched his back and flexed the muscles in his back. Flexing a few…extra muscles he reached a pair of feathery wings on his back, specifically located between his shoulder blades. They stretched out to their full sixteen foot wingspan and flapped a few times. Warren stepped off the rooftop flapping his wings lightly. Warren rode a small draft downward. When his feet touched the ground, Warren brought his wings close to his body and began walking toward the open doors into the mansion.  
*  
  
"That should do it." A chubby detective mumbled to Scott "Rock" Summers as he closed his notebook. He returned it and pen to his back pocket and turned on his heels toward where other officers were standing.  
"I am sorry about your loss." He said over his shoulder.  
  
Sentiments Rock was familiar hearing but he didn't think anyone could trully empathize with him. Oh sure people had lost family and friends before. Hell, Rock did too. But this was different. Rock lost the man who gave him a reason to live, a dream to long for when he slept at night and to make a reality from day to day. Not just to Rock, but to everyone that occupied the mansion.   
  
Rock stood leaning against the window sill watching the rain. He usually didn't make a habit of looking out at the world for very long as his view of things was jaded. Forced to wear a set of ruby red sunglasses to keep things in check, Rock's view of things was that constant ruby red color. He had to imagine what things looked like. The colors. It had been ten years since Rock saw color. But when he went to sleep at night he could remember and pretend he could still see it in his dreams.  
  
"Get outta my way!" Someone screamed. Rock's eyes rolled as he recognized the sound of the voice. Behind him, several officers flew into-and through-the door into the quarters Rock was standing in. Coming in the door after them was a young girl of about 14. She had long black hair, green eyes, and was quite shapely for her age. Behind her was a boy of 17. He stood six feet tall and was definitely well built and in shape. His eyes brown, and his hair in braids hanging down around his head, and shaved on the sides and back.  
  
"A time like this, and you choose to make a scene." Rock said without even turning around.  
"What the hell is the joke here Summers? I am at practice and I get some word from someone that I needed to come back here and fast. That something happened to the Professor."  
"Because Zeke, I sent it to you. Because something did happen to him." Rock replied slowly and quietly.  
  
The young girl walked toward the bed in the corner of the room. It looked as though there was a body there but it wasn't moving. It didn't even look like it was breathing. She took ginger baby steps up to it and put a shaking hand on the blanket. Pulling is back slowly she stared down at the body of her teacher and mentor. Commanding, elegant and regal looking-even in death-was Professor Charles Xavier.  
  
"No!" She screamed and fell back. Zeke was instantly at her side. He looked at the bed and fell to his knees. He did not say anything, instead all his sounds came out as silent tears down his cheeks. The girl on the other hand sobbed loudly. Rock didn't regard them, he continued looking out the window. A light on a nearby dresser clicked on. The Professor had it on a timer. This light is cast was blocked out somewhat by the form of Warren who had silently entered the room.  
  
"What happened to him?" Zeke asked, trying hard to keep his voice steady.  
"He was at a pro-mutant assembly. He was giving a speech."  
"And he was shot." Warren finished. "I was there."   
  
Zeke turned suddenly and charged Warren. He grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall, he wings instictively spreading outward knocking pictures off the wall.  
  
"You were there? How the hell did you let this happen? All our training and you let him die?!" Zeke screamed. His skin shimmered briefly as his inbred mutant power kicked in. He skin got bumpy and brown and hard as a rock.  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" Warren screamed as best he could.  
"And you were his damn golden boy. His favorite, and you let him die!"  
  
Zeke threw Warren across the room. When he turned to follow he met a rather large blast of red energy. Zeke had no way of blocking this and was sent back through the wall behind him into the hall way. Rock wasn't worried. In present form, Zeke wouldn't be hurt. He returned his glasses to his face covering his smoking eyes.  
  
"I won't have this kind of display here." Rock said. "The Professor always said if the unthinkable were to happen he would want to be in his mansion to rest until the proper burial was arranged on the grounds. Jean is working on that as we speak."  
  
Rock went to the young girl and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.   
  
"It's okay Stacey. I have done my share." The young girl-Stacey-continued to cry on his shoulder.   
  
Warren looks at the display. The hole in the wall, the Professor on the bed, Stacey sobbing her heart out, and Rock's ever calm façade. He knows his is torn up inside. Warren turns to the window. He picks up a chair and throws it through the window, not wanting to bother opening it. A leap and his is skyward back toward the site of the assassination.  
  
  
Next ish...what is Warren after going back to the assembly center, and where will it lead to?  



	2. Default Chapter Title

X-Men #2  
"Truth and Mourning"  
  
The dark office was lit only by a small desk lamp. Directly under the light was a picture of a young redheaded girl and an older balder man. Also on the desk was several address books, and a clock that read 2AM. Beside that was a steaming mug of coffe. In the seat behind the desk Jean Grey sat. Hands at her temples massaging them. She had been in this very office for close to six hours now. She had to phone relatives, business associates, friends, everyone who the professor knew, she had to get in touch with. She had to tell them of the unfortunate fate that has befallen the friend. Now she didn't have to do what she was doing, but it was something she felt someone needed to do. Zeke did not have the patience to do it. Nor was he in the mindstate to even be approached about it according to what Rock had said. Stacey was a mess, Warren was gone, and Hank was….milling about somewhere. So the duties were left to her.  
  
"I'll be in touch." Jean said into the speaker phone before pushing the button to bring her latest call to an end. She reached for her box of kleenex and was annoyed to find it empty. The box floated into the air and to the trashcan nearby as a fresh box hovered over onto the table and opened. Jean thought she was over her tears but phoning a close college friend of the Professor's this was not the case. She looked at the picture of her and the professor when she was barely a teenager. His first training guenia pig. She didn't mind. Even at that young age she understood the importance of what he had in mind to do.  
  
Jean wasn't too different of a person then that she is now. Same red hair, same green eyes, same mutant telepathic and telekinetic powers, same devotion to the professor.  
*  
  
In another area of the mansion Hank McCoy was at work. He was active in the mansion's training facility, affectionately referred to as the Danger Room. Bounding here, rolling there, kicking this, punching that, Hank worked out his sorrow and frustration by beating the hell out of the robots therin. He had been at it for hours now. Not too long after he found out the news of the professor's death this is where he came. He knew the body was back at the mansion but he hadn't brought himself to going up there to look at it. He couldn't. He just wasn't ready to see his hero lying prone, prepared to be put in a pine box.  
  
"Computer, upload level 8 special McCoy programming." Hank said aloud.  
  
Around him the room changed. It went from the jungle setting he was working out in, to a ruined urban setting. It was like a warzone. Sight, smell, audio, it was all there to make it seem like the user was in a war ravaged place. Hank called it "special McCoy programming" because he spent so much time working on it, and perfected it to the little flies buzzing around the "dead bodies". Soldiers in army gear ran at him guns blazing. Hank vaulted over the gun fire and delivered to solid feet to the heads of the soldiers, knocking them clear off their shoulders. That was a benefit to the Danger Room. The luxury of being able to go all out without hurting anyone else.   
  
"Going to stay in there forever?" A voice said over the loudspeaker. Hank dodged a bullet and looked up to an area that always remains unchanged no matter the Danger Room setting. Looking out the observation window at him was Rock Summers.  
"I might." Hank called back. The setting and the soldiers faded. Hank decided rather then argue with Rock, he would go talk to him. That's what Rock wanted, and perhaps its was Hank finally needed to do.  
  
Rock stood behind the exit door with arms folded as Hank walked out. Rock threw him a towel. Hank caught it with an oversized hand and proceeded to get some of the sweat off of his body.  
  
"Worked out your problems?" Rock asked.  
"Not hardly." Hank replied.  
"I didn't think so. I don't know if any of us will."  
"But you seem like you have."  
"Nah." Rock smirked a bit. "That's what I let you all see. Maybe I can motivate you to be stronger."  
"For all my brains I could never fathom this happening." Hank said. "The Professor was everything to us. Father, brother, friend, teacher, leader. He was going to prove to the world out there that mutants can help mankind." He continued. "I relished everyday being a part of that plan."  
"Me too. He did so much for us."  
"So why did someone do that to him?" Hank asked. "I mean I thought the anti-mutant groups were stupid, but outright assassination? Of such a pivatol figure?"  
"Seems like you are answering your own question there Hank. The Professor was a modern day Martin Luther King, Jr. He scared so many people. This was the way to deal with him." Hank stopped.  
"But this scares me Rock. How am I going to deal without him?"  
*  
  
Warren Worthington III landed on the rooftop of the Times Square Building. It was taped off at all entrances by police. A few were stationed outside to turn away any unwanted visitors to the crime scene. Warren knew that the roof was probably not going to be guarded. No one exactly suspects someone to fly down from the sky to get inside a building. Warren crept along the roof to a side of the building with another building close by. He floated down between the two and found a window. It wasn't locked, allowing Warren to half fly, half climb in.  
  
The inside of the building was left much the way it was earlier in the day when the shooting happened. He saw the stage where everyone sat. The special podium made for the professor in his wheelchair. The chalk outline of the Professor's body on the floor from when it was thrown back out of the chair from the shot. That was the place to start looking. Warren would try to find the probably place of the shooter and look for any clues he may have left there.   
  
Warren glided downward to the stage. He knealt down and ran his fingers along the chalk line. His mind flashed back to the Professor's still body there. The screams from the crowd. He turned and looked upward. He spotted several locations on the catwalk above that could have been used for a sniper post. Warren decided to just check them all. He Flew to the closest one and dropped to the floor to look for clues. He brought a minature flashlight with him as most of the lights were off.  
  
Warren flew to the second spot and found nothing there as well. He was about to rise to his feet and spread his wings when he heard a noise. Warren quickly killed his light and held his breath hoping to hear the sound again and discern a direction. To his delight, another sound was heard. An audible curse. Warren looked and saw a figure dressed in black roaming around one of the other spots. Warren rose high into the air, settling over this new comers head.   
  
"Where is that dam shell casing? Shouldn't have lost it but my only escape was in that initial mob of people."  
"Shell casing…" Warren said to himself.  
  
The man bent down and his hand gripped something. He examined it closely and gave a noise of satisfaction. Warren was awe-struck for a moment having the shooter return to the scene of the crime. He decided not to let this go to waste and promptly swooped down on the man. Much to the man's surprise Warren grabbed him by the collar and lifted him in the air.  
  
"What the hell?" The man said. His voice was a tad muffled up close given the ski mask he was wearing.  
"You shot Professor Xavier!" Warren said.  
"Let me go you mutie scum!" The man screamed.   
  
He began squirming around, trying to break free of Warren's grip. Warren wasn't trying to hard to keep a hold of him and did infact let go. The man fell screaming until he managed to reach out and latch onto catwalk railing. Warren listened for a moment to see if the man's screaming had attracted any police attention. Satisfied it did not, Warren took another dive at the man. He let go of the railing and crashed into a table below him breaking it in half. The man quickly kicked the remains off of him and bolted towards the nearest door. Warren went to follow but noticed something on the floor. Upon closer examination Warren found it to be the shell casing. He looked back at the door the man went out of and contemplated following.   
  
"He may have a car and be long gone. But with this, maybe it could be a step towards finding that son of a bitch. Zeke was right about one thing. I will be Professor X's golden boy, because I will find out who did this to him. And I will be his Avenging Angel."  
  
  
Bold words from Warren Worthington. Huh? Will he make them come to fruition? Will the others get involved? What will become of all the inhabitants of the mansion?   



	3. Default Chapter Title

X-Men#3  
"Goals of Redemption"  
  
The bright sunny day was a definite contrast to the dark rainy one the preceded it. The skies were blue, the wind was calm, it was a perfect day. Removing a lock of hair from his vision, Rock Summers assumed it was because an angel was returning home to Heaven. The funeral proceedings were simple. There was a priest, and friends and family. The media wanted barge in but security measures were taken to insure this was an invitation only affair. Rock stood in his black suit next to Jean. Both of them nearest to the open casket. Nearby Zeke stood with his head bowed, hat pulled low over his eyes, and with an arm around Stacey. Though Zeke had a tendency to fly off the handle sometimes * he was good to Stacey. It was like she was his little sister, who he would do anything for.   
*For an example see X-Men#1 (me)  
  
Hank was in the crowd somewhere Rock assumed. When the funeral was mentioned, Rock didn't know if Hank was going to attend, but he was pretty sure he was. Rock looked around and found Warren on the rooftop of the mansion dressed in his suit, looking their way. Rock found that a bit odd, but each of them dealt with their loss in a different manner. Rock surveyed those attending. Some of them he recognized. Statesmen, doctors, congressmen, the Professor's higher up friends. Also Rock saw his family. Brian and Sharon Xavier, his parents divorced, but brought together by this tragedy. Also Rock saw Kurt Marko. He looked to be fairly sick but he was there. Rock had to give him that. Mr. Marko and the Professor were not known to get along during the professor's childhood. According to the Professor himself anyway.  
  
The priest went on a bit about life and death, and how one should not be scared of the end, but embrace it as it will lead to a better place. Rock knew he was in a better place, he deserved it. After this and more singing and prayers, the service was ended and the people departed for a gathering in one of the larger rooms of the mansion.  
  
Rock stayed around after everyone was gone. He wanted time to himself with the professor before he was put into the ground. He stood close to the casket, running his hand along the length of it. Gazing at the Professor all the while noticing how much of a commanding presence he still had in this state.  
  
"After my parents were killed and I lost my brother, I had no family." Rock said. "Those foster homes they put me in, it just never worked out." Rock touched his glasses. "Maybe because of this. I can remember not opening my eyes for two years, being labled blind. No one wanted to deal with that." Tears rolled down rocks face. "But you. You had it in you to deal with it. To deal with me. With all of us. You were a dreamer and invited us along to dream with you. I'll never forget that." Rock's knees buckled and he fell to a knee alongside the casket. "I honestly don't know what I am going to do now. I am trying Professor. Trying to hold it together for the others. But I don't know how long I can." Rock's rested his forehead on the casket. "Maybe one of these days I will be able to. And sometime in the future, maybe I will be able to be half the man you were."  
  
Behind him and a great deal of steps away Jean watched Rock. She knew how desperately he wanted to keep up his namesake. To be a rock for the team. One they could always look to to be strong in the face of any adversity. He knew how it much damage it did to his mindset when others saw him breakdown. She didn't like that he was suffering emotionally, but given his pride she had to let it happen.  
  
"You all right?" Zeke asked before sipping a bit of punch. Stacey looked up at him and nodded.  
"I handled that funeral better then I thought I would."  
"Yeah. You and me both."  
"What will happen to us though?" She asked. "I mean the Professor ran the school and everything before." Zeke nodded.  
"I don't have a clue."  
"I mean will someone else take over, will they just shut us down?"  
  
Zeke thought about this for a bit. If they did shut the school down he would have a hard time finding somewhere to go. His dad was in jail, and his mom god only knew where. Stacey had a home to go to, he was glad of that for her sake. Hank did too. And Jean. But he on the other hand, hell him, Rock and Warren, they had dead parents. Where would they go? Warren, he'd have some place probably. His parents left him a zillion dollars or something like that in a will when they died, so he is set for life. That's what Zeke did not like about Warren, that's what he did not like about all rich people. They didn't have to work. Didn't know what it was like to scrape and scavenge and struggle for what you had. Hell they even knew he was a mutant and he still was set for life.  
  
"Problem Zeke?" Stacey asked. Zeke wasn't aware of the fact he broke the glass his was holding in his fist.  
"Oh." He said. "My bad." He went to the trash can and dropped the remains in there and went to get a napkin.  
"Quite the grunt isn't he?" Someone said. Stacey turned and saw Hank behind her.  
"Oh Zeke? I guess so. But I gotta love him. He's always there for me. He's what made my coming here from home no so bad of a change."  
"Yes he does have his moments of charm."  
"Yeah and other things too. He almost hurt Warren last night."  
"I heard." Hank ate a cookie. "Needs to do something about that. Maybe you should look into some anger management." Stacey shrugged.  
  
Beyond Hank, Stacey saw Warren land in front of the glass door into the room outside. When he came inside no one paid him much attention. Stacey wondered what it was like to have your identity publicaly known. Oh sure a good deal of people at the funeral know of the mutant powers that they have, but a good deal still do not. They still think the school is one only for "gifted youngsters".  
  
"My ears were burning." Warren said.  
"I didn't even known if you came back last night." Hank said between cookie bites. "After the number I heard was done on you." Warren gave Hank a rather mean glare before turning attention to Stacey.   
"I went back to the crime scene last night." Warren said, keeping his voice low. "To look around. Maybe find a lead."  
"And?" Stacey asked. Warren showed them the casing.  
"The shooter came back. He was looking for this. He dropped it on the way out when he was leaving the scene."  
"What is it?"  
"A rather sophisticated looking shell casing for the round I am guessing took our professor." Hank answered. "May I?"   
  
Warren dropped the casing into Hank's big hands. He held it up to his eye, scrutinizing it.  
  
"I thought we could scan it, see where that can take us." Warren said.  
Stacey shrugged. "What will that prove?"  
"It's a start."  
  
Hank downed the last cookie and dusted his suit off. He walked towards the exit with Warren and young Stacey behind him. Jean watched them as they left. She had been listening to the entire conversation meanwhile "beaming" it into the heads of Rock and Zeke. After Hank and Co. had left. Jean mingled a minute more and she, Rock, and Zeke left as well. Their destination downstairs and to the war room.  
*  
  
The war room is the nick name Zeke gave to a room below the mansion where Professor Xavier, and Jean would often meet to plan out strategies before assemblies and things of that sort. Zeke thought it would be the perfect place to plan and carry out a little war, so, War Room it was.  
  
Stacey sat on the edge large round table in the middle of the room. She had not been in the room too often and when she was she was awe-struck by the many monitors, TV's and terminals within. Hank was at one such terminal. The largest by far. It had a 18 foot screen and dozens and dozens of buttons, levers, and controls that Stacey had no clue as to what they all did. Hank did though. His fingers danced over them with ease. Above his head was a headset with four thick metallic tubes connected to it and running into the computer. Stacey knew this was Cerebro. A powerful computer. She had no clue as to what it did though. The Professor was supposed to explain it to her one day.  
  
"Okay," Hank began.  
"What did you find about it?" Warren quickly asked.  
"Calmness Warren. I just found out the kind of weapon it belonged to."  
"Oh okay." Warren said a bit more controlled this time. He stepped back.  
"It goes to a protoype rifle the military is manufacturing."  
"So how'd the shooter get his hands on a military weapon?"  
"Prototype, that means there is only one of it right?" Stacey asked.  
"Right. They had Stark Enterprises working on it." Hank said.  
"Stark. He's a well known anti-mutant jack ass." Warren spat. "But it wasn't him."  
"Of course not. It couldn't have been when the prototype was sold." Hank said. "A look into some financial records sees an exchange in funding from Cabe Dexter to one Anthony Stark."  
"Dexter? The senator?" Warren said in shock.  
"I am just guessing here. You find the casing. I see the money exchange," Stacey whistled.  
"I wish I was a good computer hacker. I can't even work Windows 2000 right."  
"Well we all can't have my skills." Hank said cracking his knuckles. Right then the computer shut off.  
"What happened?" Warren asked. Hank typed a few commands prompting some read outs on the screen.  
"Their system found me and kicked me out. Kinda slow weren't they?" Warren slammed his hand in his fist.  
"Who cares." Warren said. "We have a lead on the assassin."  
  
The door to the war room opened and Zeke and Rock stepped in the room. There was a common thought among Warren, Hank and Stacey as to what they were doing there but once they saw Jean come in behind them, they knew.   
  
"A little eavesdropping Jean?" Warren asked.  
"Enough." She replied. "So what did you find out?"  
  
-- The kids take on a more...pro active role to track down the assassin and find out his connection to the mutant hating Tony Stark. Wait a sec. Mutant hating?.isn't he Iron M--. See you next time.  



	4. Default Chapter Title

X-Men #4  
"X-volution"  
  
Zeke Edwards sat back in his chair taking everything in. He folded his arms across his rather massive chest and let his mind run through it all. It was a lot to think about too. He hadn't really dealt with the fact his mentor Professor Charles Francis Xavier had been assassinated at a pro-mutant rally. Even though he was at the funeral, and assissted those who put his casket in the ground it was difficult still for Zeke to soak it in that the Professor was indeed gone for good. Zeke laid the blame for this on Warren Worthington. He was the professor favorite student. He was some rich boy from Long Island, New York. Zeke couldn't stand him because of the ample sum of money the young playboy had at his disposal. He let his anger get the best of him a few days before and lashed out at Warren, doing his best to kill the boy before Scott "Rock" Summers interfered.*  
  
*X-Men #1  
  
Warren had gone back to the scene of the crime appearently and even had an encounter with this shooter. But Warren being as stupid as he was, screwed up and let him get away. But the punk had succeeded in retrieving a shell casing the shooter was back looking for. This led to Hank McCoy scanning it with the computer and them being able to trace the possible shooter to a well known and popular senator, one Cabe Dexter.   
  
Warren wanted to go after him.   
  
Zeke realized for once in his life he acutally agreed with something Warren had to say. Jean was sitting across from Zeke at the round table in the War Room. She wore a tired and exhausted look. Zeke knew that was from preparing the funeral arrangements and taking care of a ton of other business after the Professor's death. Hank was still at the computer trying to get back into Stark Enterprises' computer. Stacey sat next to Zeke on his right. Rock stood arms folded near the door as if he was the overseer of the events going on. Zeke laughed inwardly at that thought. Rock seems to think he is the leader sometimes when it is clear the older, maturer Jean Grey has him by the balls. Warren stood as well, his wings at rest.  
  
"That's all we know." Hank said again as Jean massaged her temples with her finger tips and exhaled deeply.  
"And we have nothing else to go on?" Jean asked.  
"Nothing else--?" Warren said rather loudly. "What else do we need. We aren't the police, we don't need warrants and all that." He stepped closer to the table. "We need to bring down the man who shot Xavier. If we think this Dexter is it, then we hit him."  
"Exactly Warren." Jean said. "We think. We don't know for sure. We have an educated guess based on what Hank says." Hank looked offended.  
"Hey now, my word is good."  
"I am not denying it is Hank. It's just that we could use a bit more." Jean stood up and walked around the table looking at everyone there. "We are not the police and technically it is not our place to look into this."  
"The Professor makes it our place." Warren interrupted, though Jean kept on as though he had not spoken.  
"What we are is something different." Jean said. "The Professor saw this. Beyond his plans for this school-to teach mutants to better control their powers-he saw a greater need for a qualified line of students." Jean continued walking around. "There are mutants out there who use their powers for dubios purposes, bank robberies, harassment, extortion, and things greater then petty crimes. The professor knew this and thought something should be done about it."  
"What could he do?" Stacey asked.  
"He could train a group of mutants. He could equip them with the means and tools to combat the problem of terrorist mutants."  
"Ah, I seem to theorize a greater reason for the creation of the Danger Room." Hank said softly. Jean nodded.  
"Strategy, battle training, team work, endurance, skill, the Danger Room works it all with the purpose of you going out and stopping any mutant threat that should arise to threaten mankind. Any threat at all."  
"How long did you know about this?" Rock asked. His tone suggested, though he was close to the Professor, even this was beyond his knowledge.  
"For a while. The Professor would rattle his ideas off to me sometimes when training me for the simple fact that he needed to get them out somewhere."  
  
Eyes followed Jean as she walked over to a side of the room. She pushed a button on the wall and a small compartment slid open. Jean reached in and removed a small stack of files. She returned to her seat at the table and spread the files out. Each one of them was labled with the name of someone in the room. Beside their name was a stylized red "X". Zeke was the first to take his and open it up. Inside was an indepth history of him from birth to being at the school. Also were descriptions of his powers and Danger Room training to date. Also were hints as to what Danger Room programs to run with him in the future. Stacey took her folder and found the same thing. Hank, Warren and Rock looked at their folders as Jean took hers.  
  
"These are the X Files." She said with a small bit of dramatization.  
*  
  
Miles away from the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters was another large mansion. This one belonged to Senator Cabe Dexter. At this moment the good senator was in his office on the phone with a man he had just done business with no too long ago.  
  
"It was such a rush." Cabe said aloud. On his desk the red light indicating speaker phone was on. Cabe was a few steps from his desk looking at himself in a full length mirror. He was about 5'11 or so. Salt and pepper hair, hazel eyes, chiseled chin. A handsome figure in his older age. Cabe did not feel his age though. His chest puffed up in his t-shirt and he moved his arms and flexed his muscles a bit. Cabe was feeling like a million bucks at that moment. He had succeeded in taking out a man who he saw as rival. A man who posed a threat to his agenda as Senator and to the future well being of the people all across the country. But Cabe Dexter stopped him. He couldn't reveal to the country the massive favor he had done for them, but he would take that quiet satisfaction and pride knowing he did it.  
  
"I bet." The voice on the phone answered. "And the rifle operated flawlessly?"  
"Indeed it did. I aimed. I fired. No sound. Just a bullet through the air and that mutie loving Charles Xavier on his back dead."  
"I am glad. Well the government will definitely be happy it works."  
"What will you tell them you tested it on?"  
"I will think of something. At any rate, my drawing board now has bigger and better weapons planned. And when I bring them to congressional light I expect I will have your sponsorship?"  
"Most definitely. I will do all for Stark Enterprises that I can Mr. Stark."  
"Thank you Senator, and please call me Tony. Everyone else does."  
*  
Jean lead the way down to levels on the school grounds that were lower then even the Danger Room. The group always thought the Danger Room was as low as you went but as they discovered there is more. There were more gyms and training areas, some ressembled the danger room and others were vastly different. Also there were quarters as well. As each student examined their room they saw that it seemed like it was built for nuclear fallout with walls made of solid steel and rations of food in various compartments. Laid out on all the beds were what appeared to be uniforms.  
  
"Just what the hell was the Professor getting us ready for?" Zeke said to no one in particular. He picked up his uniform and looked it over.   
Put them on. A voice said. It came from the backs of their heads.  
"Jean," Zeke said figuring it was Jean in their minds. Zeke did not like the fact she was so free spirited about going inside people's heads and listening to thoughts and projecting hers. The Professor wasn't anything like that.  
"If I don't look at cute as can be then I don't know who does!" Stacey screeched as she bounded into Zeke's room in uniform. He looked her over and saw that the yellow and blue uniform did look nice on her. He decided to give his a try.  
  
They all regrouped in uniform in the hall outside the rooms. All the uniforms were unique to the individual while keeping the same colors to them. Also on several spots on each uniform was the stylized "X" that appeared on the files they had read before. Zeke looked at Rock and saw that he had some sort of head piece on. It was like a visor with a red lens across both eyes. He guessed it was to control his power. But how was he supposed to use it? Did he have to take the visor off every time? Seemed like it would be a bit of a hassle to do that.  
  
This way.  
  
Jean started walking. Zeke concluded that she would have to stop entering his mind like that. He followed suit as they walked down another long hallway. Down a small set of stair they stopped at a large metal door with an X on it. The door split in the middle and opened. Inside was a room about half the size of a football field with a very high arched ceiling. In the middle of the room under several spotlights lining the ceiling was a sleek, black SR-71 Blackbird jet.  
  
"Um...wow." Stacey stammered.  
"As I said the Professor wanted his group to have the tools and resources to fight off terrorist mutants."  
"I'm impressed." Rock said.  
"You and Hank have extensive flight training and so it will be up to you two to pilot the Blackbird." Hank rubbed his big hands together.   
"I can deal with that."  
"So what are we waiting for?" Warren asked.  
"Warren we are going to investigate Cabe Dexter and see what we can find out. I may just scan his mind when we get there and be done with it." Jean said.  
  
Warren muttered a reply Zeke was sure Jean was aware of. He shrugged. He was just going to go along with things and see what happened. If he got a shot at the man who killed his Professor, well then so much the better. The door of the Blackbird opened and the group proceeded to climb inside.   
*  
Senator Cabe Dexter whistled as he came down the stairs. He wore a dark brown suit, and likewise dark brown tie. His hair combed to perfection and his body smelling of some expensive cologne. Standing at the foot of the stairs was his wife Elsa. She was about his age but looked nothing like it. She could give any young model a run for their money. Long black hair, sparkling blue eyes and a smile that could melt any man. And as it should, he smile as well as her body had enough money invested into it. It needed to look good. He walked past her and gathered his coat. It wasn't that cold out but he loved how his coat looked with his suit.  
  
"Sarah," Cabe called. In respone there was rapid footsteps above his head and down the stairs came his cute, young raven headed daughter. She was dressed formaly as he and Elsa were.  
"Good. I don't want to be late for the play."  
  
Cabe opened the door and saw that his personal limo was waiting for him. The door open and the driver standing adjacent to the vehicle, extending a hand inward inviting them. Elsa and Sarah left out infront of Cabe. He closed the door and proceeded down the front steps.  
  
Beyond the limo and the yard, close to the gate, six uniformed students of the Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters were hiding in the bushes. The were huddled close and covered in what seemed to be a ton of foliage. Rock peeked around the gate to see things going on on the property.  
"Looks like they are off somewhere." Rock said. Jean looked around as well.  
"Dressed up, I wonder where."  
  
Before Jean could scan the Senator's mind she felt a huge wind at her back. She turned and saw Warren had knocked the foliage away. He spread his wings all the way out and flapped them hard. Warren was skyward in and instant and flying toward the Senator's limo.  
*  
Cabe Dexter was just about to settle down onto the plush leather seat of his limo when he heard his wife scream her head off. He looked up into the vehicle and saw her looking and pointing out her window. Cabe stood up and looked up into the sky. When he did he saw a winged mutant flying right at him-the same mutant from the assembly center! Cabe turned on his heels and bolted up the stairs. He tried the door the realized he had just locked it. Cabe reached into his pocket to get his keys out. His hands were shaky as hell which made using the key in the door quite a task.  
  
"You won't get away from me now you bastard!" The mutant screamed.  
  
He looked back and saw the mutant was dangerously close to him. His arms open as though he was going to swoop him up again. Before the mutant could reach him though something happened. A spotlight shone from the sky caused the mutant to pause. All around him more lights went on. Wind picked up as several sleek blue military helicopters lowered down from the sky. They surrounded the mutant where he hovered in midair. Several cable lines dropped from the helicopters and armed men and women lowered themselves to the ground. Their weapons trained on the winged mutant the whole time.  
  
"You will cease all activity and surrender yourself to us." A voice over a loudspeaker boomed. The mutant didn't move. Cabe felt himself steady as he had protection from the mutant.  
"I repeat lower yourself to the ground and surrender."  
  
Warren knew he was not in a good spot. He was not thinking and got caught. Trapped by a slew of heavily armed agents of some kind. After the commands were said to him, Warren looked left and right for possible escapes and saw none. Everything had hit the fan and he did not know any way out.  
  
Warren didn't need to think much longer though. The part of the while behind which he had been hiding with the others exploded in a flash of red light. Rock's work. The helicopters remained in place but the troops on the ground let their attention shift to the source of the explosion. To their obvious surprise were five uniformed men and women rushing straight at them. Warren looked at this wondering how smart that strategy was. He didn't complain as red beams flew past him striking the spot lights on the helicopters. A few backed off giving Warren the oppurtunity he needed to slip away.  
  
On the ground Zeke figured out how Rock's visor worked. There was some switch on the side the when pushed in, lifted the lens off his eyes allowing his energy blasts to be channled outword. Zeke didn't have much time to pat himself on the back for his deduction as armed troops were firing at them. Zeke concentrated and felt his body shifting. His skin became clearish and smoother. Zeke smiled as he changed. His powers allowed him to change his skin to whatever mineral form he wished. His favorite:Diamond. This made him a huge piece of concentrated diamond able to withstand fire, bullets, and the armed guards laser fire. It also allowed him to deliver a mean right hook back to them.   
  
Stacey sought cover for the battle. She knew her powers were not that good for close contact, but far away she was good as a sniper. Through some weird bit of biological telekinesis, Stacey can control any wound a person has. From a paper cut, to a gaping hole on someone's body. Stacey can close them up or make them rip open. She figured that's why the codename given on her X File was Rupture.   
  
Hank bounded here and there much like he did in the Danger Room a few days before. He delivered kicks and punches to faces, stomachs, sides, backs-laying waste to whatever person happened to be in his way. Close combat made for good use of his hieghtened strength, speed, and reflexes.  
  
Proud of yourself? Jean asked Warren mentally.  
"Scold me when we get out of here." He said aloud. Jean still picked it up.  
  
Warren was being chased by one helicopter. He flew high up into the night sky and did a varying bit of manuvers he hoped would keep the gunner off his back. Several times though he could hear bullets as they whizzed by his ears. Warren decided to try something he saw in a movie once. He head straight down to the ground and sure enough the helicopter followed in his free fall. Warren spread his wings and pulled himself to a stop in midair as his large pursuer went on. Warren chased them now. The helicopter righted itself and was turning around when Warren flew by delivering a fist to the gunner. He fell toward the ground but was caught and lowered safely by Jean.  
  
We are not trying to kill them.  
"They're trying to kill us." Zeke said. "Move Rock!"  
  
Zeke dashed to Rock and pushed him aside as three agents had all drawn a bead on him. The lasers struck him to no effect.  
  
No! Don't use your names out here. Go by the names that were in your files.   
  
Rock got back to his feet without stopping to thank Zeke. He thought he should make it his priority to eliminate air traffic and make it easier to contend with those on the ground. Rock tapped the button on the side of his visor to open it and let his energy blast flow. The blast found the tail of two helicopters and the nose of a third. All of them had to make forced landings. This left them open to attack from Jean, Hank, Zeke, and Stacey. Rock hoped Hank and Zeke got to the troops before Stacey did. He knew with her wound powers there would be a literal bloodbath on the grounds.  
  
Jean was not happy at all when Warren ignored her warnings and went after the Senator but it seemed as though he made that mistake things were going to be okay. The group was having great success in taking out the agents against them-whoever they were anyway. Maybe they would get out of it all alive.   
  
As if on cue to ruin Jean's day a large aircraft floated into view. Large as in LARGE. This thing looked like it was the size of a small building. Jean couldn't imagine what propelled it. It was littered with cannons and other weapon arays. Several openings appeared where more agents came out of and cabled to the ground and others where they rode flying vehicles much like flying skateboards. Just who were these guys. Jean didn't try to think about it though. She just knew it was trouble. She concentrated.  
  
Okay, I thought we could make something of this but I was wrong, we have to get out of here now!  
  
All the others had stopped to look up the fortress as it came into view. Not knowing what to do. Rock tapped his visor and let loose an energy beam it didn't make a mark on the fortress. That's when the group started to back up.  
  
"Surrender whoever you are." Another commanding voice like before.  
"Not a chance." Warren said taking it upon himself to reply for the group. "And who we are...We're the X-Men!" Zeke ran past Warren and grabbed him, pulling him along.  
"You wanna make us dead men? Move your ass!"  
  
Stacey led the retreat followed by Hank, Zeke and Warren. Rock stayed put. He and Jean were the only one's with good powers for distance fighting so they covered the others backs. Rock had yanked off his visor and just let the full force of his energy beams loose. Jean could sense the strain it was putting on Rock but also the duty he felt to make sure the others escaped no matter what. Jean was straining herself as well using her telekinesis to toss the downed helicopters in the agents direction to slow them down. There seemed to not be an end to them out of that fortress.  
  
Beast is in the jet Cyclops. Let's go. He'll grab us off the property.  
  
Rock shot one final blast and put his visor back on. He and Jean turned sharply and ran out the gate. Gunfire ripped the ground to shreds behind them. Sure enough Hank-Beast-was above their heads. For an instant Rock thought about how funny it was to be referring to each other with code names. Those would take some getting used to. Jean used her power to lift Rock and herself into the jet. Zeke closed the door behind them and Hank shot off into the distance.   
  
Behind them on the grounds of the Senator, a man in a tight blue uniform stood out on a balcony of the fortress. His uniform had several badges and pins on it, most would guess looking at him, that he was the man in charge and they would be right. He had a smoking cigar clenched tightly between his teeth. His hands at the side of his head. He held a pair of sophisticated bonoculars up to his eyes, though he could see out of only one. The other was covered by a patch he had worn for several years after returning home from a war way back when. The escape of the X-Men was not something he was upset with. Whom ever they were, he wanted more time to study them in the field before bringing them down. He had business to handle with the good Senator anyway.  
  
  
Gotta wonder who this one eyed guy is. Maybe he will reveal himself next ish as the newly christened X-Men deal with the consequences of their proactivity.  



	5. Default Chapter Title

X-Men #5  
"Avengers Assembled"  
  
"It was an outrage!" Screamed Senator Cabe Dexter into the microphone. Also for emphasis he slammed his first down on the podium hard enough to make the press in the front row step back a bit. Tape recorders were held up as close to him as possible and flash bulbs went off all the while.   
  
The press conference had been called promptly for this morning. The reason for it were events that had occurred the night before. When Senator Dexter was leaving his mansion to attend a play with his wife and daughter a mutant flew onto his property and attacked him. Following him were five others whose powers caused several millions worth of damage to his property.* In addition to this the mutants caused severe trauma to his wife and daughter.   
*Last issue  
  
Senator Dexter was sure to gesture to them and make references about them to the crowd gathered as he went on with his exaggeration of the events of the previous night. Well they wouldn't know how much of an exaggeration it was because they weren't there. They wouldn't know that the winged mutant had a reason to go after Senator Dexter. The "good Senator" had taken it upon himself to purchase a prototype weapon from Anthony Stark and murder Charles Xavier. Xavier was a well publicized mutie lover. Senator Dexter thought he deserved what he got. He thought he should have perhaps put a few more slugs in him.   
  
Ah well. The road not taken.  
  
*  
The four people watching the Senator had the luxury-if you call it that-of getting as close as they wanted to him. Zeke, Stacey, Hank, and Warren sat in the War Room watching the press conference on the largest monitor there. Hank sat in the chair in front of the comp. Zeke kept standing and sitting down. He was too angry to stay still watching the monitor. Stacey sat in one of the seats near the table and Warren sat "Indian style" on the middle of the table.  
  
"I should be able to have the right to come and go wherever I please to. I am a tax paying, law abiding citizen. Yet I stepped outside my home and I was accosted by some winged freak and his cohorts." The Senator said. "I don't know why they targeted me and my family. They could have left my wife and daughter out of this though, they are helpless." As if to accent this, the network cut to a shot of the wife and daughter, teary eyed and holding each other, then back to a shot of the enraged Senator. "To those out there who dared to argue that mutants could live in peace with humans I ask you to look at what happened to me last night and I want you to try to tell me your spiel again." This actually got a response from the crowd. Sounds of agreement with the Senator's words. "You can believe that I will make it my duty to bring these dangerous people under control, by any means necessary." Zeke swore under his breath. "And to those who accosted me last night…they called themselves X-Men." The Senator looked directly into the camera. His eyes burning into the four where they were in the War Room. "You had better believe I am coming right for you. You wanted to start something with Cabe Dexter, well believe I will finish it!"  
  
The television muted suddenly. Hank tilted his head to look at the doorway and as he guessed, Jean Grey was standing in the doorway. It didn't take half the brains he had to tell that she was not the happiest person on the planet then.  
  
"Are you happy?" She asked. Her words directed at Warren.  
"What?"  
"Not only did you force us out of cover and into a dangerous battle, you play up to the spotlight and now we have a direct threat against us."  
"Direct threat?" Warren said through gritted teeth. "We are a threat to that damn Dexter. He killed our Professor. He wanted a group of mutants together. He wanted X-Men. That's what we are."  
"Who are you trying to impress? If it is Charles you are a tad late." Warren jumped off the table and got right into Jean's face. The others were surprised by his show of bravado.  
"I am trying to have justice for our fallen Professor which is more then what you are trying to do, obviously."  
"Justice is through courts Warren, you know that." Warren wasn't listening. Jean could see the anger burning in his eyes.  
"Justice is by our hands!" Warren pushed past Jean and left the room. Hank, Stacey and Zeke just looked at each other.  
"And I thought I was the resident short fuse." Zeke mused.  
"Never seen Warren like this." Hank said.  
"Well it better not last much longer. Everything that happened last night and this-" Jean gestured to the monitor. "-is directly his fault."  
"How is Rock?" Stacey asked.   
"He's doing fine. His head aches like no one's business* but he will live."  
*Eye strain. See last issue.  
"Do you actually think this Dexter jerk will be a problem for us?" Zeke asked.  
"It's not him I am worried about." Jean said. "It's guys like the ones who attacked us."  
*  
Nick Fury was not very comfortable at the moment. He could think of a ton of different torture devices he experienced in the wars he had been in that were so much more inviting then this. Nick Fury was trapped by an uncomfortable hand stiched armani suit. He favored his uniform over anything he wore so naturally when he was told he would have to be in a suit he balked at the idea. But there are people higher up then even the Commander of SHIELD.  
  
Fury was not alone in his suit confinement. Also with his was Henry Peter Gyrych. Gyrych was a government stooge though. He was used to this sort of crap. Fury was not and wanted to get it over with as soon possible. His mission for today was to accompany Gyrych while he went on a little recruitment drive. The Senator's press conference earlier that morning had prompted action from the government on something they had been thinking about for a while. They wanted to bring together a team of normal humans with extra-human abilities with the purposes of handling threat against the country. Now in the day, he and SHIELD would take care of this. But crime, criminals and those with powers seemed to be popping up every where you looked. SHIELD could not be everywhere to stop every purse snatcher and would-be world ruler. Much as Fury hated to admit it, he would welcome the help.  
  
The limo Fury was riding in came to a halt. The door was opened by the driver and Gyrych stepped out first. Fury followed looking up at the building they were about to enter. The Brand Corporation. Gyrych led the way up the stairs and through the door into the building. Inside it had the look of a corporate place rather then where the most sophisticated scientific experiments were carried out. Fury expected huge atom smashers, and microscopes, and lab tables and chemical racks, not expensive paintings, rich carpeting and furniture, or statues. The place did look nice though.  
  
"Fury," Gyrych called. While he was looking Gyrych talked to the front desk about the appointment they had. Fury hated the way the man called his name. It was in a deep masculine voice, but for some reason to Fury he still sounded like a little bitch.  
  
The two went to an elevator and inside. Gyrych pushed the button for the very bottom floor. A panel opened up revealing a numerical keypad. Gyrych typed in a set of numbers and the elevator began moving downward. A few moments later the elevator chimed and opened. Fury smirked at what he saw. This was what he expected. The room they walked into was huge. It was filled with tons of equipment, tables, shelves, and men and women in white coats scurrying around like worker ants.  
  
"Now this is a lab." Fury said.   
  
A man took notice to there entry and walked up to them. He was in his early thirties it seemed. Blond hair, brown eyes, glasses. Athletic it seemed. Fury made it a habit to look over everyone he met for possible weaknesses incase any dangerous situation arose to put the two of them at odds.   
  
"Henry Pym." He said extending his hand. Fury shook it in turn and so did Gyrych. "Been expecting you. We can talk in my office."  
  
Pym walked off to the left and Gyrych and Fury followed.  
*  
Rock looked at himself in the mirror in his uniform. He was getting used to it and how it looked and felt and running his name over and over in his head to get used to it as well. Cyclops. He had to give the Professor that. A knack for choosing codenames. He wondered about the X-Men though. Specifically wondering who the Professor wanted to lead them. Jean was the oldest student there at 23. Rock was but 18. But he always thought he was closest to the Professor, and that he would head up any project or plan Xavier had. And no something comes along as big as the X-Men and Rock's just another one of the others to follow Jean. He slumped down on his bed and sighed. Not much he could do about it anyway.  
  
*  
Henry Pym sat at his desk while Fury and Gyrych sat across from him in front of his desk. Pym had his head low, reading over the proposal file Gyrych prepared for him.  
He looked up after several minutes of perusing the data.  
  
"So you want me to lead these 'Avengers', am I right?" He asked.  
"Precisely." Gyrych replied. "With your shrinking/enlarging technology we thought you would make a perfect addition to the team, and your intelligence makes you a fine candidate for a leader. Fury inwardly disputed that decision. Pym was science smart for sure, but to lead an army you needed to be smart in a different way. But it was not his place to say anything about that so he didn't.  
"Tony Stark? But why?"  
"He has invented a mobile suit of armor." Gyrych replied "It's like a human sized tank." Again Fury disputed this decisioun. Stark was a well known bigot against mutants. But his money made up for it and people over look that about him. Evidently the governments wants in on some of Stark Enterprises greenery.  
"Clint Barton, expert archer, gymnast" Pym read.  
"So," Gyrych asked, sounding a tad impatient. Pym looked at him.  
"Sounds interesting. I think I will see what this is about. One catch though."  
"What?" Fury grumbled.   
"I invented something for my wife. And with it she would be an asset to the team. I want her onboard." Gyrych thought this over.  
"We'll have to see." He replied.  
  
*  
Stark Enterprises sat in the middle of the city. It was easily seen as it was the single largest building in New York. Easily shadowing the World Trade Center towers. From miles away those coming into the city can spot the giant "SE" letters on each side of the building. Inside the massive construction were the offices of the men and women who slaved for the millionare playboy Anthony Stark. Stark inherited the company from his father when he passed away. The elder Stark was a friendly fair boss clearly favored over the jerk that Tony was to his employees. There were some he was decent with. But not by much.  
  
"Your 3:30 is here Tony." Pepper Pots said into the call box on her desk. Tony sneered. Pepper had been calling him Tony ever since their office tryst last month. It was passed getting on his nerves.  
"That is Mr. Stark to you Pots. Another mistake and you will be fired." Tony said.  
"Yes Mr. Stark." Came the reply. Pepper sounded saddened by what Tony said. She would jump at the chance to be bedside with him no matter how bad he treated her so he wasn't worried.  
  
Tony got up from his desk and fastened his pants. His newest female employee rose from under the desk a moment after he had left the office. Tony thought about giving her a raise already as he walked down the hallway to his elevator. Tony pushed the button for the ground floor. A smooth thirty seconds later and the doors opened on the ground floor. Waiting there was Nick Fury and Henry Gyrych.  
  
"Gentlemen if you will step inside, I will show you what you came to see, and why you need me." Tony said.  
  
The two men stepped in, Fury mumbling under his breath all the while. Another smooth bit of time and the elevator opened again. The three men walked to a large locked door. Tony went through fingerprint, voice, and retnal scans before the door opened. The three stepped inside. Tony went to the center of the room and pulled a cover of an object he had there. The object was a 6ft tall suit of armor. It wasn't like the bulky suits of medevil times. Stark had plenty of those in his mansion though. No this suit was a sleek, shiny gold and crimson color. It was littered with gadgets here and there. Quite a work. Tony walked from behind it holding what appeared to be the helmet.  
  
"Cute tinker toy." Fury said.  
"Oh this is much more then any simple tinker toy." Tony said. "This suit is equipped with repulsor rays, missiles, machine gun outlets, EMP conductors and more. In addition there are several tracking and communications goodies."  
"Aw, does it fly?" Fury said, still not impressed.  
"That was the first thing I installed on it." Tony said rather curtly, deciding to return Fury's animosity.  
"It is a technological wonder." Gyrych chimed in to break the mood.  
"Of course. I built it after all. I will be nothing less the Invincible Iron Man."  
"So you have agreed to join the Avengers?"  
"And be able to hunt down mutant scum," Tony said with a smile. "I am just wondering what took so long."  
"The first priority will be the X-Men." Fury said. "But they won't be the only task for the Avengers." Tony waved him off.  
"Whatever." He took out a handkerchief and wiped a smudge on the shoulder of the armor. "Just show me where to blast."  
  
*  
Warren never cared about people seeing him out and about flying around the city. This time he cared even less. He flew in high arcs and swooped down low on the ground. A few times he grazed people's heads as they walked on the sidewalk. Not that he was concerned but he caused a few accidents as well. Warren knew the Professor would frown on this kind of activity if he was alive. It gave anti-mutant groups fuel to go on. He was terrorizing the populace after all. But the Professor was not. He was dead. It was Warren's fault. So the old rules and norms didn't apply anymore. Warren flew to the top a tall building and came to rest on the rooftop. From his vantage point Warren could clearly see Stark Enterprises. Warren despised Stark for being a bigot, but even more because he had a had in the Professor's assassination.* He contemplated flying right over to Stark Enterprises and going right after Stark.  
*X-Men#1  
  
As Warren watched Stark Enterprises, he was being watched himself. Gyrych stood at that window looking out at the winged mutant on the rooftop. Fury was off on his cell phone talking to someone. Tony was suiting up. Gyrych had recognized Warren from reports from the mansion assault. Fury hadn't said a thing, he just got on his cell phone.  
  
"I'll have this punk hogtied in no time." Tony said as he slid the helmet into place. "I put out a call to Henry Pym over at the Brand Corporation telling him to meet you there." Gyrych replied.  
"I won't need the help, but do what you want."  
  
A window opened inward as Tony spoke. The jets on his armor kicked in and he floated a bit off the ground. Gyrych stepped aside as Tony, now Iron Man jetted out the window towards the rooftop mutant.  
*  
Warren stepped off the rooftop allowing his wings to catch the wind. Just then an energy beam shot past him and blew a good chunk out of the building where he was just standing before. Warren looked back at the debris falling on the street and then to the direction the blast came from. He saw a bulky metal figure heading straight for him.  
  
"And who might you be?" Warren asked.  
"I'm your exterminator." Came the reply. "You may refer to me as Iron Man. The two minutes more you live."  
  
Iron Man stopped and hovered in the air. The two sized each other up thinking of possible attacks. Iron Man obviously had more at his disposal then Warren did. Iron Man extended an arm forward preparing another blast. Warren saw this and drew his wings close to his back. Iron Man's energy beam went over Warren's head as he allowed himself to drop down. Warren flapped his wings again and flew off away from Iron Man. Iron Man fired off his jets and was momentarily on Warren's trail.  
  
"Hey, this is Warren." Warren said into the communicator on his wrist. He was quite glad the Professor insisted they wear them to always be able to keep in touch.  
"I know someone has to be at the mansion. I need some help here. Some jerk in a metal suit is after me and-" Before Warren could finish the communicator exploded on his arm.   
"It's going to stay just you and me." He said.  
  
Warren decided to pull up and head between a few building to try to lose Iron Man. Before he could make this move he felt a stinging in the middle of his back. Warren's muscles all locked up and he continued plummeting to the street below. Warren thought he was going to splatter on the street. Before he could hit a truck parked next to the curb under him. Onlookers who gathered to watch to sigh of two flying individuals scattered as Warren fell. He landed shoulder first on the truck leaving a fairly large indentation. Iron Man hovered in the air watching Warren. Warren rolled off the truck onto the street. Holding his shoulder he slowly got to his feet. He flapped his wings and found his muscles useable again. Warren had to hold out against this guy until some help arrived. Given his blowing up at Jean and leaving, he wondered if they would even come to help him.  
  
Warren's brief thoughts were interrupted when a bolt struck him in the chest knocking him back through a store window. Iron Man landed outside the store. His optical and thermal scanners tracking Warren's movement in the store. Inside Warren was brushing himself off. He was scratched in several places from the glass and his shoulder was still aching. He thought that it might be dislocated. It was times like this Warren wished he had a different power then simply being able to fly like a bird.  
  
"This isn't even a challenge." Iron Man said.  
"Well then we won't have much work to do then." Someone else said.  
  
Iron Man turned to the sound of the voice. Walking toward him was a man and woman. The man was dressed head to toe in a red body suit. He wore a mask that left only his mouth visible. Two antanae protruded from his forehead. The woman fashioned a red vest covering a black body suit. She had what appeared to be cybernetic devices lining her arms and legs and body. On her head was a helmet that closely resembled an insect's.  
  
"And you are?" Iron Man asked.  
"Henry Pym."  
"Ah yes. Your supposed to be leading us right?"  
"Indeed." Henry replied. "So you have coralled the mutant?"  
"Not quite." Iron Man said. He put one palm toward the direction of the store. A bluish sphere shot out and flash of light appeared in the store. "Now I have." He said.  
"Let's get him into custody as quick as we can."  
"We beg to differ."  
  
The three turned around and saw a group of uniformed men and women gathered in the middle of the street. They seemed to be poised to attack at any moment.  
  
"Much as he's been getting on our nerves, that's our boy in there." Tact said.  
"We're taking him back." Rupture added. Iron Man laughed.  
"No, muties, all you will do is join him."  
"Muties is such an ugly word." Cyclops said. "We prefer X-Men." Cyclops eyes glowed behind his visor. "And we won't tell you again."  
  
Avengers vs. X-Men...nuff said!  



End file.
